One wonders what was going through Jorge Masvidal’s head while watching last weekend’s UFC 245 main event.
The welterweight title tilt between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington was indisputably one of the best fights that the organisation has booked this calendar year but for Masvidal, arguably the fighter of 2019, it had extra significance. Not only is he most likely next in line for the eventual winner, Usman, but the other man in the cage was a former friend and training partner with whom Masvidal has unfinished business.
The result on Saturday night almost certainly means that any Masvidal-Covington fight will be later rather than sooner, ‘Gamebred’ took to Twitter late on Sunday to take a shot at Covington and holding him in contrast to another fighter that he had a prolonged rivalry with this year, Ben Askren.
Askren, who recently announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, was famously knocked out just five seconds into their UFC 239 grudge match in July but Masvidal noted on Twitter that his rival didn’t hide from the loss, where he conducted several interviews in which he embraced the defeat without making excuses for it.
Shout out to @Benaskren who never tucked tail after his loss. Made no excuses. Took it on the chin and never censored the haters like a coward #theresurrection
— Jorge Masvidal UFC (@GamebredFighter) December 15, 2019
Sometimes life kicks your butt when you least expect it. Make no excuses and move on. https://t.co/7yfFVoXlsi
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) December 16, 2019
“Shout out to @Benaskren who never tucked tail after his loss. Made no excuses. Took it on the chin and never censored the haters like a coward #theresurrection,” Masvidal tweeted.
“Sometimes life kicks your butt when you least expect it. Make no excuses and move on,” replied Askren.
Masvidal has put together an impressive year, first knocking out Darren Till in London last March before moving on to his record-breaking finish of Askren during the summer. Last month, he became the UFC’s first ever ‘BMF’ when he defeated Nate Diaz by doctor stoppage in the main event of a card in Madison Square Garden.
Askren, meanwhile, has opted to step away from the sport following a submission defeat to Demian Maia. He requires hip surgery which would need several months of rehab before he could compete once more.
